Essential commodity costs are rising sharply in Punjab, especially in Lahore and other metropolitan centres, as Ramadan approaches.
Dates, bananas, pomegranates, guavas, apples, and melons are more expensive, making them harder to afford.
As demand for fresh food and seasonal vegetables rises in the coming weeks, government officials confront growing hurdles in limiting price inflation.
However, additional onion crops should help.
Sugar prices remain a key worry, with the government supplying a limited supply at Rs130 per kilogram at defined places that is unlikely to affect open market values.
High prices continue to burden consumers as price controls fail.
The Punjab government has not announced special Ramadan Bazaars, which formerly offered subsidized essentials, adding to the hardship.
No fair-price shops or subsidies were created this year, leaving citizens to deal with rising prices. Many consumers are frustrated by government inaction.
Muhammad Arif, a daily wage worker, complained that costs rise every year before Ramadan, making it harder to afford essential fruits and vegetables with stagnating income.
Homemaker Amina Bibi also slammed authorities for not enforcing pricing regulations, saying retailers charge whatever they want while ordinary people suffer. She stated that Ramadan is intended to be a time of blessings, but many families are struggling financially.
